2016 MLS Eastern Conference Final - Impact vs TFC

[Blackdude]

 

1 hour ago, masster said:

Was reading on twitter picking up bits and pieces that TFC season ticket holders are being moved or aren't able to get tickets to the final. Wasn't able to put the whole story together. Can somebody summarize what is going on?

It's pretty much that MLS needs to give tickets to their sponsors for the final and they have to move certain fans to accomodate said sponsors. 

[Ivan]

STHs still have first shot and it goes by tenure.  Our regular seats are not guaranteed, however.  

[dyslexic nam]

8 hours ago, jonovision said:

^ Whether a player is active or inactive in an offside situation is interpreted very inconsistently across football. I have seen instances more obvious than yesterday's not called. The rule needs clarification.

I have always hated the level of subjectivity in this rule.  If a guy is in anything but a blatantly offside position, a defender still needs to be aware of him, track him, and be prepared to deal with him.  If the attacker quickly steps back onside (as many of them do - linger offside until the last moment and then 'get in line') then he will be active in the play and won't be called down.  Thus a defender can't simply ignore the player.  How can that not be affecting the play?  The defender can't simply ignore him and focus on the next onside threat.  And the same applies to keepers - they too need to be aware of the offside player in case he gets onside and becomes active.

Plus, in marginal cases, there is no way that a defender or keeper can determine that the attacker is definitely offside.  Heck, linesmen get those calls wrong and they are optimally positioned to observe the line.  It is their central task.  For players on the field, immersed on the play, it is unreasonable to expect them to have the same ability to determine if a guy is offside (and thus can be ignored) or if he is onside/marginal and needs to be closely tracked.

Maybe the current interpretation is simply the best of a bunch of shitty possibilities, but I hate that it puts defenders at such a disadvantage.  Insofar as they need to account for the attacker in all but the most obvious situations (e.g. a striker walking back after making a run that never received a pass), the attacker is most definitely "influencing play" by dividing the defenders focus and demanding his attention.

[paul-collins]

Watch Irwin's reaction as the ball goes past.  He gives up when he sees Oduro, then redoubles and tries to get it when he realizes Oduro is offside.

Hell, I'm not even convinced Piatti was onside for the play.

That's ok, though, our boys spotted the Impacts that one just for entertainment.

[matty]

So Giovinco and Piatti made the Best XI (MLS actually had a cool tweet to announce it)

 

 

[jpg75]

I guess it's probably a matter of time until Matt Hedges plays an official match for the US, but he would have looked good in a Canada jersey (his grandma is Canadian)...